1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to media devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to 3D visual media devices.
2. Background Art
Controlled distribution has become an important prerequisite for most technological advances involving contemporary media. Most audio receivers are now manufactured with network connections to enable streaming of digital music from a personal repository, and more recently, commodity electronic device manufacturers have flooded the market with dedicated set top boxes for streaming video over personal networks. However, large content providers have balked at utilizing such consumer-managed devices and networks to distribute their content, particularly when it is protected content, due to security as well as general reliability concerns. Unfortunately, this hesitation has limited uptake and growth of technological advances with respect to three dimensional (3D) visual media.
In particular, while display manufacturers have increased the range and number of 3D displays offered to consumers, and even though there are a wide range of theatrical 3D visual media releases as well as an increasing number of sports related 3D visual media releases, many consumers are ambivalent about purchasing a 3D display because most content providers, such as cable TV and satellite TV providers, for example, do not want to expend time and money to make their systems compatible with distribution of 3D visual media, such as 3D television (3DTV). Moreover, as noted above, content providers are typically unwilling to rely only on consumer-managed devices and networks to provide compatibility due to security and reliability concerns.
Accordingly, there is a need to overcome the drawbacks and deficiencies in the art by providing relatively inexpensive and easily implementable systems and methods for managing distribution of 3D visual media, particularly across a network that may include both content provider-managed and consumer-managed devices.